Difference between revisions of "Molotov cocktails"

Latest revision as of 05:37, 22 April 2024

Molotov cocktails are short ranged, thrown weapons that have a forced miss radius but deal flame damage and set a 3x3 "plus-shaped" (+) area on fire where they land. They are not consumed on use and do not use any ammo.

Acquisition[edit]

Molotov cocktails can be crafted at a Machining table once the Machining research project has been completed. They require 25 Cloth, 80 Chemfuel and 6,000 ticks (1.67 mins) of work.

They can also be purchased from orbital pirate merchants and orbital combat suppliers, outlander faction bases, or obtained from the following raider kinds:

Raider Kind	Chance	Average Quality	Health
Grenadier	50%	Normal	70-230%

Summary[edit]

Molotov cocktails range and AoE

Weapon[edit]

Molotov cocktails are weapons. They take up the weapon slot and will not run out of ammo. They are blocked by walls, but the blast ignores cover. When choosing a target, a circular zone will generate to indicate range, then another 3x3 indicator with a circular center will become the aiming spot.

Molotovs deal 10 Flame damage in a 1.1 tile radius. They are thrown from a very short range of 12.9 tiles and have moderate aiming time; they explode immediately on landing. With a forced miss radius of 1.9 tiles, an unobstructed molotov always lands within 1 grid tile (including diagonals) of the target. This means Shooting skill, shooting accuracy, and health of the grenadier is irrelevant. Aiming time effects still apply, however.

Flame damage will possibly ignite pawns. The impact will create chemfuel puddles, which will then ignite and burn, causing general fires.^{[Puddle behavior?]} Pawns on fire will run wildly and are unable to attack.

Pyromaniac pawns receive a +2 Pyromaniac has incendiary weapon mood buff while equipped with a molotov cocktails, and an additional +8 Used flame weapon mood for 0.333 days when used on an enemy. Note that they must be equipped, not merely carried.

Item[edit]

When damaged with Flame damage^{[How much?]}, they may explode. The cocktails will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding some time later. The explosion deals 10 Flame damage in a 2.66 tile radius around itself.^{[Chemfuel puddles?]} They cannot be smelted in an electric smelter.

Molotov cocktails have no quality - every set of molotovs will have the same stats, regardless of the skill of the crafter.

Analysis[edit]

Combat[edit]

Molotovs are dubious in raw combat. Molotovs are better in a supporting role, being one of the few weapons that start fires. Pawns that are on fire will stop attacking and run wildly, making them easy targets. But fire on its own isn't very strong, molotovs have a short range, and fire can lead to collateral damage. Without manual oversight, grenades are inefficient against moving targets. However, due to the forced miss, they can be a viable alternative weapon for pawns with low shooting skill or health issues.

When throwing a cocktail down an 1-tile wide alley, a pawn can consistently throw a cocktail 4 tiles, not including the tile the pawn is standing on, without intersecting the two side walls. Beyond 4 tiles, there is a risk of hitting the wall and dropping short. This can be relevant to prevent friendly fire or damaging defenses during combat. Watch out when using these in place of frag grenades when melee blocking, as the fire can allow enemies to clip past your blockers, allowing them to surround the blockers or attack your backline.

Because it relies on fires, rain significantly diminishes its outdoor utility. Note that the game has a "firewatcher", and will automatically start rain if fires get too out of control.

Fire traps[edit]

Molotovs become much more useful as a general firestarter. Burning down flammable structures is a very powerful tactic, though it can be costly.

Place fuel like wooden barricades or straw matting where you want things to burn. Then, lure and trap raiders (or other enemies) inside.

In a mountain, you can use fire to burn any infestations that spawn inside your pawn's bedrooms.
You can use wooden columns/walls as fuel, and use them to support roofs. In the absence of other support, burning the wall will cause a Roof Collapse.

In a dedicated "oven" or "burn tunnel", fire can kill infinitely many human pawns. So long as a place is roofed and "Indoors", temperatures will rapidly rise. As heatstroke is the way most pawns are downed, no amount of heat protection will save an organic pawn. Note that mechanoids are completely immune to both fire and heatstroke. Heatstroke ignores the usual death on downed chance with combat, allowing you to easily capture pawns and recover untainted armor.

Fire being used to handle an ancient shrine's cryptosleep caskets, once the initial threats are cleared.
Place some fuel, toss molotovs from outside until the room reaches ~ 400 °C (752 °F), then shoot the caskets to open them.
Even with firefoam pop packs: it isn't the fire that kills, its the heatstroke (usually).
Deconstructing 1 wall will make the room "Outside", turning it from 800°C to 23°C. This allows you to easily capture pawns, untainted armor, and the rest of their gear.

Utility[edit]

Fire is very useful to dispose of flammable items, like corpses. Simply gather all unwanted items in a fireproof room (like using stone for walls and floor), draft a pawn, and throw the cocktail. Make sure to remove the Home Area around the room, so that pawns don't try and extinguish the fire. Molotovs throw faster and are significantly cheaper to produce than incendiary launchers, so are better for this purpose. For corpses, watch out for rot stink; haul corpses quickly and wait for the rot to wear before burning.

In extremely cold temperatures, fire can be a last resort in order to create heat. Use with extreme caution - fire can quickly go out of control, and temperatures easily get too hot. Typically, colonies with access to molotovs also have access to heaters.

Version history[edit]

1.0 - Received a crafting recipe.
1.3.3066 - Grenade throws are rendered in an arc.

Weapons

Melee | Neolithic: Breach axe • Club • Ikwa • Knife (Jade) • Spear

Medieval: Gladius • Longsword • Mace • Axe • Warhammer

Ultra: Eltex staff • Monosword (Persona) • Plasmasword (Persona) • Zeushammer (Persona)

Improvised: Beer • Elephant tusk • Thrumbo horn • Wood

Ranged | Neolithic: Greatbow • Pila • Recurve bow • Short bow • Flamebow

Industrial: Assault rifle • Autopistol • Bolt-action rifle • Chain shotgun • Heavy SMG • Launcher (EMP, Incendiary, Smoke, Toxbomb ) • LMG • Machine pistol • Minigun • Pump shotgun • Revolver • Sniper rifle

Spacer: Charge lance • Charge rifle

Consumables: Doomsday rocket launcher • Triple rocket launcher

Throwables: EMP grenades • Frag grenades • Molotov cocktails • Tox grenades

Mechanoid: Heavy charge blaster • Inferno cannon • Needle gun • Thump cannon • Beam graser • Charge blaster turret • Hellsphere cannon • Mini-flameblaster • Mini-shotgun • Slugthrower • Spiner • Toxic needle gun

Structures: Autocannon • Mini-turret gun • Mortar (Weapon) • Uranium slug cannon • Auto-mortar • Inferno cannon (Turret) • Light charge blaster • Mini-slugger • Tactical turret gun

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{infobox main|weapon|
+{{Infobox main|weapon
 | name = Molotov cocktails
 | image = Molotov.png
@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 | type2 = Weapons
 | tech level = Industrial
-| class = Modern
+| class = Industrial
 | damage = 10
 | damage type = Flame
@@ Line 29: / Line 29: @@
 | work to make = 6000
 | mass base = 1.0
+| has quality = False
 | weaponTags = GrenadeDestructive
+| tradeTags = WeaponRanged
 }}
-'''Molotov cocktails''' are short ranged, thrown [[weapons]] that have a forced miss radius but deal flame damage and set a 3x3 "plus-shaped" ('''+''') area on fire where they land.
+'''Molotov cocktails''' are short ranged, thrown [[weapons]] that have a forced miss radius but deal flame damage and set a 3x3 "plus-shaped" ('''+''') area on fire where they land. They are not consumed on use and do not use any ammo.
-Note that molotov cocktails, once equipped, can be thrown infinitely; they are not consumed by use.
 == Acquisition ==
@@ Line 42: / Line 42: @@
 <!--Raider is linked instead of a faction because its a Mercenary used by both Outlanders and Pirates-->
 {| class="wikitable sortable"
-|-
 ! Raider Kind !! Chance !! Average Quality !! Health
 |-
@@ Line 50: / Line 49: @@
 == Summary ==
 [[File:Molotov cocktails.png|thumb|left|200px|Molotov cocktails range and AoE]]
-Molotov cocktails have very short range, moderate aiming time, and no delay before exploding on the target and 1 additional tile in each of the cardinal directions, causes {{P|Damage Base}} [[Damage types#{{P|Damage Type}}|{{P|Damage Type}}]] damage to targets in its area, possibly igniting them, and creating [[Filth#Chemfuel puddle|chemfuel puddles]] which will then ignite and burn.{{Check Tag|Puddle behavior?|Are there always 5 puddles, do they always ignite etc.}} Each set of molotov cocktails can be thrown infinitely; they are not consumed by use.
-They are thrown with the same animation as of shooting, they cannot be used over walls and must have a direct line of sight. A circular zone will generate to indicate range, then another indicator with a circular center will become the aiming spot. The character cannot hold both the cocktails and another weapon at the same time.
+=== Weapon ===
+Molotov cocktails are weapons. They take up the weapon slot and will not run out of ammo. They are blocked by walls, but the blast ignores [[cover]]. When choosing a target, a circular zone will generate to indicate range, then another 3x3 indicator with a circular center will become the aiming spot.
-Cocktails will always land within 1 tile of their targeted tile, including on the diagonal, unless the path of the cocktail intersects with a wall or object. This forced miss radius means that [[Skills#Shooting|Shooting]] skill and [[shooting accuracy]] of the grenadier is irrelevant. The cocktails will not get any more or less accurate based on the skills or health of the thrower. [[Aiming time]] effects do still apply however.
+Molotovs deal {{P|Damage Base}} [[Damage types#{{P|Damage Type}}|{{P|Damage Type}}]]  damage in a {{P|Blast Radius}} tile radius. They are thrown from a very short range of {{P|Range}} tiles and have moderate aiming time; they explode immediately on landing. With a forced miss radius of 1.9 tiles, an unobstructed molotov always lands within 1 grid tile (including diagonals) of the target. This means [[Skills#Shooting|Shooting]] skill, [[shooting accuracy]], and health of the grenadier is irrelevant. [[Aiming time]] effects still apply, however.
-When throwing a cocktail down an 1-tile wide alley, a pawn can consistently throw a cocktail 4 tiles, not including the tile the pawn is standing on, without intersecting the two side walls. Beyond 4 tiles, there is a risk of hitting the wall and dropping short. This can be relevant to prevent friendly fire or damaging defenses during combat.
+Flame damage will possibly ignite pawns. The impact will create [[Filth#Chemfuel puddle|chemfuel puddles]], which will then ignite and burn, causing general [[fire]]s.{{Check Tag|Puddle behavior?|Are there always 5 puddles, do they always ignite etc.}} Pawns on fire will run wildly and are unable to attack.
-When damaged with [[Damage Types#Flame|Flame]] damage{{Check Tag|How much?|Any damage? Below a certain threshold? What threshold?}}, they may explode. The cocktails will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding some time later. The explosion deals 10 Flame damage in a 2.66 tile radius around itself.{{Check Tag|Chemfuel puddles?|Does this explosion leave chemfuel puddles like throwing it will?}}
+{{Pyromaniac Weapon Note}}
+=== Item ===
+When damaged with [[Damage Types#Flame|Flame]] damage{{Check Tag|How much?|Any damage? Below a certain threshold? What threshold?}}, they may explode. The cocktails will spark and emit a hissing sound shortly before exploding some time later. The explosion deals 10 Flame damage in a 2.66 tile radius around itself.{{Check Tag|Chemfuel puddles?|Does this explosion leave chemfuel puddles like throwing it will?}} They cannot be smelted in an [[electric smelter]].
 Molotov cocktails have no [[quality]] - every set of molotovs will have the same stats, regardless of the skill of the crafter.
-They cannot be smelted in an [[electric smelter]].
+== Analysis ==
+{{stub|section=1|reason=More detail about ovens / other fire traps}}
+=== Combat ===
+Molotovs are dubious in raw combat. Molotovs are better in a supporting role, being one of the few weapons that start fires. Pawns that are on fire will stop attacking and run wildly, making them easy targets. But fire on its own isn't very strong, molotovs have a short range, and fire can lead to collateral damage. Without manual oversight, grenades are inefficient against moving targets. However, due to the forced miss, they can be a viable alternative weapon for pawns with low shooting skill or health issues.
+When throwing a cocktail down an 1-tile wide alley, a pawn can consistently throw a cocktail 4 tiles, not including the tile the pawn is standing on, without intersecting the two side walls. Beyond 4 tiles, there is a risk of hitting the wall and dropping short. This can be relevant to prevent friendly fire or damaging defenses during combat. Watch out when using these in place of [[frag grenades]] when melee blocking, as the fire can allow enemies to clip past your blockers, allowing them to surround the blockers or attack your backline.
-[[Pyromaniac]] pawns equipped with molotov cocktails will have a {{+|5}} ''Pyromaniac has incendiary weapon'' mood buff.
+Because it relies on fires, [[rain]] significantly diminishes its outdoor utility. Note that the game has a "firewatcher", and will automatically start rain if fires get too out of control.
-== Analysis ==
+=== Fire traps ===
-{{Stub|section=1}}
+Molotovs become much more useful as a general firestarter. Burning down flammable structures is a very powerful tactic, though it can be costly.
-A dubious combat weapon, accuracy is poor on moving targets and damage is slow over time. Molotovs are significantly cheaper to produce and fire faster than an [[incendiary launcher]], but have poor range and projectile speed.
+Place fuel like wooden [[barricade]]s or [[straw matting]] where you want things to burn. Then, lure and trap [[raider]]s (or other enemies) inside.
+* In a mountain, you can use fire to burn any [[infestation]]s that spawn inside your pawn's bedrooms.
+* You can use wooden [[column]]s/walls as fuel, and use them to support [[roof]]s. In the absence of other support, burning the wall will cause a [[Structure#Roof Collapse|Roof Collapse]].
-As with all Flame damage, it will ignite basically any non-mechanoid target that it successfully damages because a [[Flammability]] of under 30% is needed to prevent guaranteed ignition, and this is only present on mechanoids, who are immune to Flame damage anyway, and pawns wearing [[phoenix armor]]{{RoyaltyIcon}} which does not spawn on enemy pawns. Note that is ''damages'', and not hits. As such, good heat armor, such as from [[devilstrand]] or [[hyperweave]] clothes, can make this significantly less reliable by negating the damage. A mitigation will not prevent ignition however.
+In a dedicated "oven" or "burn tunnel", fire can kill infinitely many human pawns. So long as a place is [[roof]]ed and "Indoors", temperatures will rapidly rise. As [[heatstroke]] is the way most pawns are [[downed]], no amount of heat protection will save an organic pawn. Note that [[mechanoid]]s are completely immune to both fire and heatstroke. Heatstroke ignores the usual [[AI Storytellers#Enemy death on downed|death on downed]] chance with combat, allowing you to easily capture pawns and recover untainted [[armor]].
-Watch out when using these in place of [[frag grenades]] when melee blocking, as the fire can allow enemies to clip past your blockers, allowing them to surround the blockers or attack your backline.
+<gallery widths="400px" heights="400px" class="left" mode="nolines">
+File:Ancient danger fire.png|'''Fire being used to handle an [[ancient shrine]]'s cryptosleep caskets, once the initial threats are cleared.<br>Place some fuel, toss molotovs from outside until the room reaches ~ {{Temperature|400}}, then shoot the caskets to open them. '''
+File:Ancient danger fire2.png|'''Even with [[firefoam pop pack]]s: it isn't the fire that kills, its the heatstroke (usually).<br>Deconstructing 1 wall will make the room "Outside", turning it from 800°C to 23°C. This allows you to easily capture pawns, untainted armor, and the rest of their gear.'''
+</gallery>
-Good for disposing of corpses or equipment rapidly, though be aware of flammability of nearby flooring and walls; using a large, natural area of [[rough stone]] as your disposal zone is handy and safe.
+=== Utility ===
+Fire is very useful to dispose of flammable items, like [[corpse]]s. Simply gather all unwanted items in a fireproof room (like using stone for walls and floor), draft a pawn, and throw the cocktail. Make sure to remove the Home Area around the room, so that pawns don't try and extinguish the fire. Molotovs throw faster and are significantly cheaper to produce than [[incendiary launcher]]s, so are better for this purpose. For [[corpse]]s, watch out for [[rot stink]]; haul corpses quickly and wait for the rot to wear before burning.
-One way to defend a base using molotovs is to drop some on stone floors/walls so that enemies have a difficult time getting in and are "softened" when passing through the flame, without burning the base itself.
+In extremely cold temperatures, fire can be a last resort in order to create [[temperature|heat]]. Use with extreme caution - fire can quickly go out of control, and temperatures easily get too hot. Typically, colonies with access to molotovs also have access to [[heater]]s.
 == Version history ==
 * 1.0 - Received a crafting recipe.
+* [[Version/1.3.3066|1.3.3066]] - Grenade throws are rendered in an arc.
-[[Kind::Weapons| ]]
+{{Nav|weapon|wide}}
-{{nav|weapon|wide}}
+[[Category:Equipment]] [[Category:Weapons]] [[Category:Industrial Weapons]] [[Category:Flame Weapons]]
-[[Category:Weapons]]
+[[Category:Ranged Weapons]] [[Category:Single Thrown Weapons]]
-[[Category:Equipment]]